In Memory

Lorell Joiner



 
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07/15/12 07:02 PM #1    

Charles "Hop" Fuhrmann

Lorell Joiner passed away in San Antonio, Texas.
Lorell H. Joiner, MMR (1945 - 2007)

Master Model Railroader, Lorell Howard Joiner of San Antonio Texas, was found dead Saturday, December 8, 2007 at his Farm near Gardenridge Texas at the age of 62. Lorell was a "life member" of the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA), and member of the San Antonio Model Railroad Association (SAMRA) and the Texas Transportation Museum (TTM). Lorell was born November 27, 1945 in Bell County Texas and was the 83rd member of the NMRA to be awarded the "Master Model Railroader" certification. 
Lorell Joiner's monumental, O-scale, "Great Southern Railroad" was among the nation's premier layouts during the 1980's and 1990's. The Great Southern was featured in alomst all of the hobby periodicals and many video layout publications including Kalmbach's 1989, "Legendary Layouts and the Men who Build, Build Them." The Great Southern was featured in the PBS series, Tracks Ahead (Vol 4 #213). Lorell authored the "Opus in O" series of articles for the NMRA Bulletin (now Scale Rails) and hosted two O-scale National Conventions in 1988 and 1996 in San Antonio. He was a an early pioneer in wireless throttles publishing his infrared system in Model Railroader magazine in 1990. His layout was a featured tour on at all SAMRA sponsored Lone Star Region NMRA conventions, and the Astrorail 1989 NMRA National Convention. His layout was even singled out by the US Department of State for an official state visit for a foreign dignitary who shared the hobby of model railroading. 
Diabetes, failing eyesight and other health and family issues resulted in his withdrawal from Model Railroading in the mid 2000's, but Lorell Joiner will be long be remembered as an intelligent and gifted model railroader and a gracious host and friend. 


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